1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for transferring loops from any kind of knitting machine needle, and particularly for use in the stocking machines with toe closure.
2. Description of the Related Art
The toe parts of the stockings manufactured in stocking machines are generally formed in an open state by a first machine. The toe parts of the stockings are manufactured in another machine.
Conventional stocking machines are circular knitting machines that typically have difficulty performing the toe closure process. Once the stocking has been knitted, the toe of the stocking must be stitched using another apparatus. In order to take the stocking from the stocking machine to an external machine for stitching, it is necessary to separately take and transfer the loops from the needles of the machine to the toe stitching apparatus.
This invention proposes an apparatus for taking and transferring the stockings loop by loop from the stocking knitting machines to the toe stitching apparatus. The apparatus according to the invention is also capable of enabling the stocking taken from the knitting machine to be attached loop by loop on the toe stitching apparatus.
In the stocking knitting machines, the needles placed into a plurality of channels opened on the outer longitudinal lateral surface of a cylindrical needle carrier move relative to the needle carrier along the direction of the needle axis. The loop held by the hook located at the upper end of the needle passes through the preceding loop through the upward-downward movement along the needle axis, thereby forming the knots that constitute the knit. The manufacture of the stocking in a stocking machine is carried out by knitting in sequential order the leg, heel, sole and toe, beginning from the ribbing.
In order to take the stocking loop by loop from the stocking machine and to attach the same to the toe stitching apparatus for stitching the toe part of the stocking, the machine is stopped while the last loops of at the end of the toe of the stocking being knitted are attached to the hooks of the needles.
Some solutions have been proposed for separately taking, through a transfer member, the loops attached to the needle hooks and for separately transferring the same to the teeth of the reed of the stocking toe stitching apparatus.
For example, in US 2004/211226, the transfer member takes the loop in a position between the needle hook and the latch, but it has to be adjusted very precisely. Even with the smallest maladjustment, it ladders the loop, thus causing the stocking to become defective.
The hook designed according to document no. EP2080827 enters the loop from the side of the needle, thereby taking the loop. Said hook collapses in the shape of a semicircle to perform the transfer to other needles.
In document nos. JP 2004143614 and JP 2001316959, a transfer member comprised by two parts is designed. However, said transfer member is not able to transfer the loops to another reed tooth.